By Alec Millender

Sports Capital Journalism Program

SAN ANTONIO — Eighteen hours after the fifth-largest comeback in Final Four history, the emotions were still intense inside the Houston Cougars locker room on Sunday. A 36-3 season has brought them within one win of a national championship, and for head coach Kelvin Sampson, within reach of a crowning moment in a storied career.

“When you’re pressing 70, you look at things a lot differently,” Sampson said quietly Sunday afternoon. “I spent a little time with my grandkids this morning… Over the years, things kind of come full circle in some ways.”

His phone lit up all night with hundreds of congratulatory texts, including messages from legends like Tubby Smith, Rick Barnes, Tom Izzo and even Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Sampson hasn’t replied yet. “There’s just too many to even look at,” he said. “They all kind of had the same message: Win one for the old guys. Something like that.”

This trip to the title game has stirred deep reflection for Sampson, who last reached the Final Four in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I used to come to the tournament when I was a young coach and sit in those stands, and look at the two coaches in the championship game… So for me, it’s a lot of gratitude, a lot of appreciation for having this opportunity,” he said.

He paused to recall his late parents — his mother, a nurse, and his father, a high school basketball coach. “It’s hard for me to think about the journey without thinking of them,” he said. And when he spoke about his siblings, especially his twin sister, his voice caught with emotion. “I had a twin sister, a younger sister, and an older sister,” he said, eyes welling.

His team’s previous Final Four appearance ended with a national semifinal loss to Baylor in the 2021 Final Four held in the Indianapolis COVID bubble. “We had nothing to do,” he remembered. “They let us go out to the yard … We had a football to throw around. Couldn’t see our families. They had us in that quarantine thing.”

That same tournament holds meaning for Houston star guard L.J. Cryer, who was a freshman on Baylor’s national championship team in 2021. “This is way different,” Cryer said. “Obviously, no fans. You saw cardboard cutouts everywhere. With that being my first NCAA Tournament appearance, and I didn’t know each round or after each weekend you go to a new spot, new location. I thought the tournament was in one spot because of the bubble, we stayed in one spot the whole time. We weren’t able to go outside except for like 30 minutes, kind of recess time. It was an experience, for sure.”

Now a senior, Cryer has emerged as Houston’s leader and engine and most consistent scorer. In Saturday night’s 70-67 comeback over Duke, it was Cryer who kept the Cougars within striking distance while the rest of the offense sputtered.

“Our best player, the guy who kept us in the game, was L.J.,” Sampson said. “He kept us in touch with them so when the time came, we had a chance to apply some game pressure. L.J. was the guy.”

Cryer acknowledged the magnitude of the moment but stressed the importance of focusing forward. “That win was definitely exciting,” he said. “During the game, there were a lot of mixed emotions. It wasn’t looking too good for us for a while. But we pulled it off. A lot of people are still riding that high, but I move on from things pretty quickly. It’s all about Florida now. We’ll be ready to play.”

If the Cougars win Monday, Cryer would become the first player in NCAA history to win national championships with two different programs. He doesn’t shy away from the significance.

“That would definitely be special,” he said. “But you have to go out there and take it. It’s not going to be given to us. It’s about how bad you want it, and I definitely want to make that history. But we have got 40 minutes to play to get that done.”

When asked what he takes away from his Baylor experience, Cryer gave an honest response. “Not really,” he said. “I had a different role on that team. I kind of had to sit back and watch. Just leadership, how to go about winning those types of games.”

His teammates can sense his hunger.

“He didn’t really play a big impact at Baylor,” guard Milos Uzan said. “I know he wants this one. He for sure wants to prove a lot of doubters wrong. As our leader, we all want to follow him. L.J. is the most consistent teammate I’ve ever had.”

Senior forward J’Wan Roberts, reflecting on what it would mean to be a national champion, said the opportunity is surreal. “It feels great,” he said. “I’ve been to the tournament every year since I got to college. We’ve always been close, but we’ve always come up short.”

He knows the final hurdle will demand more than the Cougars have ever given. “To be able to be a national champion, it’s going to take a different kind of intensity,” he said. “It’s going to take a different kind of leadership, a different type of physicality. We’re trying to be the guys who come out on top.”

Cryer agreed.

“We just wanted to keep this thing going as long as possible,” he said. “Everything comes to an end, but why not go out there and try to get to the last game? Definitely means a lot to be able to  keep putting this jersey on and playing with our brothers. I’m enjoying it. Just living in the moment.”